Mechanical gun



July 28, 1964 R. o. BALDWIN, JR MECHANICAL GUN Filed June 10. 1 958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: ROSS O. BALDWIN, JR

BY; Z f t AT TOR NEY Ill/ July 28, 1964 R. o. BALDWIN, JR 3,142,294

MECHANICAL GUN Filed June 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 a a E m 2 o i g F l j i j v Er 6 F I; Q Q 9 11 LL NJ I\\\;

N n n In INVENTOR:

ROSS O. BALDWIN, JR. 3; 3 BY: 1

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ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,142,294 MECHANHQAL GUN Ross 0. Baldwin, Jr., 3618 18th Ave., Columbus, Ga. Filed June 10, 1958, Ser. No. 741,as2 6 Claims. (Cl. 124-45) This invention relates to a mechanical gun, and is more particularly concerned with mechanical guns of the spring and piston type from which projectiles are propelled by a combination of percussion and air pressure.

Guns of the present type have been highly developed to provide magazine type loading and repeater action while retaining a resemblance to firearms used for comhat or mature sport. The common BB gun or air rifle delivers its spherical projectile at relatively low velocity and with little penetrating power. Provision has rarely been made for individual adjustments of separate mechanisms either to compensate for wear or to insure optimum operating efiiciency or range. Prior art devices have also been deficient in providing for the retention of a shot in firing position and in the facility with which a magazine for multiple shot could be loaded.

It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved mechanical gun which, while simple in construction and well adapted to meet the demands of economic manufacture, provides for the individual adjustment of various mechanisms so that each device may attain and retain its own individual maximum operating efficiency.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide an adjustment for the main power spring of a mechanical gun so that the tension applied thereto by the cocking action and release thereof by the trigger for projectile propulsion may be adjusted to meet the desires of the user and to compensate for varying factors of associated mechanisms.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a simple and easily effected adjustment of the length of plunger travel so that the same may be coordinated with spring tension and other factors such as projectile size, weight and retention to obtain optimum propulsion conditions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be durable in construction, and one which may be readily assembled and disassembled.

Still another object of this invention is to provide, in a mechanical gun, a new and improved means for releasably retaining the shot in the barrel in position for discharge.

Other objects of the present invention include that of providing a mechanical gun with such individual adjustments as will provide an accurate and easily adjusted device.

The invention also includes the provision of novel means to facilitate the loading of the magazine with appropriate projectiles, such means permitting ease of manipulation.

Further objects of the invention include that of providing a construction and arrangement of parts of improved simplicity, strength and durability so as to maintain a long life of useful high power and accuracy within the dictates of economic manufacture.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C are successive vertical cross sectional views showing the cocking mechanism, receiver group and muzzle of the mechanical gun of the present invention with the parts shown cocked and ready for discharge of a projectile.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the 3,142,294 Patented July 28, 1964 plunger and power spring assembly of the gun with parts shown in position after discharge.

FIG. 3 is a detailed cross section of the receiver portion illustrating the parts in position after discharge.

FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view, partly in cross section, of the pressure piston of the device.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view, partly in cross section, showing the magazine closure slide retained in loading position.

FIG. 6 is a detailed section showing the magazine and follower arrangement of the invention.

While certain aspects of the present inventive concept may be variously carried out, that form of the invention here presented by way of example may be generally defined as a mechanical repeating rifle in which the actuation of the cocking mechanism compresses a spring by drawing back a plunger, its piston head and an impact rod. Such movement of the rod draws the same from the impact barrel to permit the delivery thereto of a projectile, here shown in the form of a magnetizable ferrous BB. One of the features of the invention is the provision of magnetic means in the impact chamber to retain the projectile against inadvertent loss by gravity through the barrel. A trigger and sear mechanism retain the spring under compression with the plunger withdrawn so as to position its piston in the rear of an air cylinder and its impact rod withdrawn from the impact chamber. When the trigger releases the sear, the piston and impact rod travel forward at high velocity. The impact rod strikes the projectile, dislodging it from its magnetic retention, thereby discharging it through the barrel to emerge at a substantially high muzzle velocity in a relatively accurate trajectory. As the projectile is impacted and driven forward through the barrel, the air compressed by the forwardly moving piston is delivered under pressure behind the impacted projectile to increase its power and counteract any frictional resistance to the movement thereof through the barrel. The invention thus provides for a propelling force which is the combination of the force of the impact rod against the projectile and the force of the air compressed by the forward movement of the piston.

In structure, the device is provided with an external false barrel over the shooting barrel. The false barrel also provides support for a magazine which is adapted to carry a plurality of projectiles. One feature of the invention is the provision of simple means to retain the magazine open to facilitate the insertion of projectiles. It will be noted in the following consideration of the detailed structure of the various elements of the invention that the simplicity of design and arrangement of parts is maintained so as to facilitate ready assembly and disassembly of the device and to provide for inexpensive manufacture and maintenance or repair of the. gun.

The invention is particularly concerned with means for adjusting both the tension of the power spring and the length of thrust of the impact rod. The present structure provides for the independent adjustment of these elements with such ease and facility as to encourage an adolescent in the proper care of a weapon and in the manner of securing and maintaining peak performance. Careful consideration has been given to the design and arrangement of parts so as to provide such adjustment in a manner consistent with economic manufacture.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings of the present invention, while simulation of a conventional firearm or shotgun is contemplated, the disclosure has omitted the usual gunstock of such a device. A breach frame, however, is disclosed to which a stock may be applied as fragrnentarily indicated by the broken lines of FIGS. 1A and 1B. The frame includes a slotted floor plate 10 supported in spaced parallel relationship to the underface of a U-shaped breech housing 11 by bolts 12 which pass through spacer sleeves 13 for threaded engagement with depending lugs 11', the latter being welded or otherwise suitably affixed to the underface of housing 11. Adjacent the forward end of the central slot 14 of floor plate are depending ears 15 between which extends a transverse screw 16 for pivotally mounting the forward end of a cocking lever 17. The rear portion of lever 17 is formed in conventional fashion with an opening 18 to receive the hand of the operator, while the forward end 19 is formed with a cocking finger 20.

The U-shaped breech housing 11 includes side walls 24 adapted to be permanently secured, as by welding, to the opposite sides of the rear portion of the cylindrical spring casing of the gun. The horizontal web 26 of breech housing 11 is formed with an elongate central slot 27 to accommodate movement of the cocking finger of lever 17 and with an aligned shorter rear slot 23 adapted to accommodate the upper arm 29 of a sear 30. Sear 30 is pivotally mounted on pin 31 extending between plates 32 depending from the web of housing 11 between slots 27 and 28. A trigger 34 is pivoted on pin 35 which is mounted between plates 32 in a position forward of pin 31. The upper portion of the trigger above pin 35 includes a flat surface 36, the rear projection 37 of which, upon pressure of the trigger, is adapted to move upwardly against the lower face 38 on the forward arm 39 of scar 30. Pressure on the trigger to rock the same clockwise on its pivot 35 will cause sear 30 to be rocked in responsive counterclockwise direction against the tension of its restoring spring 40, the lower end of which is seated in recess 41 in plate 10 rearwardly of slot 14.

A generally rectangular carrier block 45 is slidably mounted in breech housing 11, the inner portion of block 45 being formed with recess 46 for the reception of cocking finger 20 on lever 17. The forward end of carrier block 45 is formed with a vertically projecting cocking arm 47 which extends through an elongate slot 48 in the underside of spring casing 26. Coil spring 49 engages an apertured ear 50 at the front of carrier block 45 and is secured at its opposite end to spring anchor 51 fixed to the underside of casing 26. This arrangement is such as to normally apply forward tension on the carrier block to draw it to the position shown in FIG 1A where cocking finger 20 is in recess 46, as lever 17 is in its closed position. By this construction, it will be seen that when lever 17 is operated to cock the mechanism by pivotal movement in counterclockwise direction, cocking finger 20 will engage carrier block 45 to move it rearwardly against the tension of spring 49, therewith moving cocking arm 47 rearwardly from the solid line position of FIG. 1A to the broken line position thereof.

The projectile discharging mechanism of the present form of the invention includes a cylindrical spring abutment tube 52 coaxially fitted within casing 26 and formed with a lower open slot 53 through which cocking arm 47 reciprocates as the carrier block is moved. An important feature of the invention is the provision of adjustability for tube 52 by which the tension of the firing spring of the mechanism may be readily altered. For this purpose the rear end of tube 52 is formed with an internally threaded center block 54 which receives the externally threaded spring tension adjusting bolt 55. Bolt 55 is formed with a flange 56 and an extended shank 57 terminating in an external slotted head 58. Shank 57 is mounted for free rotation through a terminal plug 59 threaded in the rear end of casing 26. This arrangement is such that upon rotation of head 58, bolt 55 will be rotated therewith whereby the threaded engagement between block 54 and bolt 55 will provide for longitudinal adjustment of tube 52 within the casing to position the forward abutment end 60 thereof for an adjustment of the compression which may be applied to the power spring 61 of the gun, the rear end of spring 61 being seated against the abutment end 60 of tube 52.

Within spring abutment tube 52, there is slidably mounted a cylindrical power plunger 70 having a slot 71 through which the cocking arm 47 may have relatively movement. In the cocked position shown in FIG. 1, arm 47 is in the forward end of slot 71 and the plunger 70 will move toward the muzzle or terminal plug 105 due to bias of spring 61 upon release of the trigger. In such position a second cocking of lever 17 will not affect the position of power plunger 70 since arm 47 will be free to slide in slot 71. After the gun has been discharged, however, the parts will be in the position indicated in FIG. 2 with power plunger 70 in its forward position and with arm 47 engaging the rear terminal edge of slot 71. Under such circumstances, when lever 17 is cocked by movement in counterclockwise direction, arm 47 will be moved by the engagement of finger 20 with carrier block 45 to draw power plunger 70 rearwardly to a position as shown in FIG. 1. After such positioning, plunger 70 will be retained by an engagement of sear arm or plate 72, the arrangement being such that upper arm 29 of sear 30 engages the sear latch recess 73 formed at the rear of sear plate 72. The forward end of sear plate 72 is keyed to and carried by a sear plug 75 which is threadably adjustable in the rearward end of power plunger 70. In this construction, it will be noted that, in addition to the adjustment of spring abutment tube 52 through rotation of bolt 55, there is also provided an adjustment of the longitudinal location of power plunger 70, the arrangement being such that rotation of plug 75 varies the relative location of the sear latch 73 with the power plunger 7 9 and hence the permissible thrust of the plunger.

At the forward end of plunger 70 beyond end 60 of abutment tube 52, there is secured a power piston 78 having a forwardly extending hollow impact rod 79 which is adapted for slidable movement in a central bore in receiver 80 which is threaded at its rearward end for engagement with spring casing 26. Power spring 61 extends between the forward end 60 of abutment tube 52 and the rear face of piston 78, the arrangement being such that rearward movement of the plunger 70 under the force of cocking arm 47 causes the spring 61 to be compressed. It can be seen that since tube 52 may be longitudinally adjusted by bolt 55, the compression of spring 61 by movement of plunger 70 under the influence of cocking arm 47 may be varied. Further, it will be understood that after cocking the gun by rearward movement of arm 47, a slight forward movement of the plunger is permitted by the location of the sear latch recess 73. Since this location is variable in response to relative rotation of plug 75, a secondary means is provided by which the final compression of spring 61 for discharge of the gun may be adjusted.

As illustrated in detail in FIG. 4, the piston 78 is formed with a shank 81 adapted to be received in the forward end of plunger 70 and secured thereto by a pin 82 (FIG. 1B) which is received within a transverse bore 83 of the shank. The piston 78 is formed with the annular member 84, which secured a resilient packing ring 85 against a central shoulder 86 of the piston. Packing ring 85 may be made from leather, rubber, nylon, butadiene or other synthetic rubber or plastic. Forwardly of shoulder 86, the piston is formed with a head 87 about which is mounted a piston ring 88. In the front face of head 87, a radial groove or port 89 is formed which communicates with the duct 90 of the hollow impact rod 79. This arrangement is such that as the piston travels forwardly under the pressure from spring 61, the air accumulated in the chamber 91, formed within the casing 26 between the piston 78 and receiver 80, will be forced into port 89 and out through duct 90 of impact rod 79 so that after the impact has thrust projectile 93 forwardly from the receiver 80, the continuing movement of the plunger will provide for the discharge of air under pressure behind the projectile to continue it in its forward discharge. A stop.

means comprising an annular gasket 96 or rubber or other suitable material, is provided at the rearward end of the receiver 80 so as to cushion the impact of the piston 78 against the receiver 80.

The receiver 80 is formed as a generally cylindrical structure preferably having a forward end of reduced diameter and threaded so as to support false barrel 100 therefrom. Adapted for concentric securement within the barrel 100 is the shot tube or barrel 101. For this purpose, the rearward end of shot barrel 101 is provided with an externally threaded head 102 which engages the internally threaded counterbore 103 in the forward end of receiver 8-0, the arrangement being such that the receiver bore or impact chamber 104 is aligned with shot barrel 101. The forward end of shot barrel 101 is preferably formed with a terminal collar 105, the annular flange 106 of which engages the forward free end of the false barrel 100 in such manner as to maintain the shot tube 101 coaxial within a barrel 100.

For supplying the projectiles here shown in the form of BBs to impact chamber 104 in receiver 80, an obliquely communicating port 110 is provided. By this arrangement the BBs 102 may move upwardly in the port 110 when the impact rod 79 is withdrawn by the cocking action, as in FIG. IE, to permit the BBs to successively take their position in impact chamber 104. As has been noted, after cocking action a slight forward movement of the plunger is permitted. Such forward movement will bring a BB from the juncture of port 110 with impact chamber 104 forwardly to a substantially midposition thereof so that the rod will then close the port entrance.

Since mechanical guns of the type here under consideration usually project a hardener spherical BB, and since the firing barrel is usually of such internal diameter as to permit the free passage of such pellet therethrough, it is desirable to provide some means for restraining the pellet against movement through the barrel by gravity as when the barrel is pointed downward. In the present invention this restraining means is in the form of a bar magnet 112, which is secured in the midposition of the receiver 80 with its lower end tangent to the bore 104. The magnet 112 is preferably mounted in a readily removable threaded holder 113 of brass or other suitable non-magnetic material, the arrangement being such that the BB is lodged thereunder until the trigger is released to permit the forward movement of the plunger and the impact of rod 7 9 therewith followed by the impingement thereagainst by air pressure from duct' 90 of piston 78.

For successively supplying BBs for projection, a magazine in the form of a generally semi-circular housing 120 is provided, the forward end of which is secured by a screw 121 to the forward terminal end of false barrel 101, while the rear extremity thereof is secured, as shown in FIG. 1B, by a screw 122 to receiver 80. The under face of magazine 120 is formed with a longitudinal slot 123 at the forward end of which there is an enlargment 124 of sufiicient size as to permit the entrance of a BB while the remainder of the slot is of such width as to preclude the passage of a BB therethrough. A spring 126 is located in the forward end of magazine 120 and a spring-urged follower 127 is provided which has a finger extending upwardly through slot 123 for engagement with a pellet contacting element 128 slidably mounted within the magazine. The rear end of spring 126 abuts the element 128 to normally urge it in a rearward direction so as to apply pressure on the BBs to successively deliver them to the receiver.

To hold follower 127 in retracted position against the tension of spring 126, the present invention provides for securing the follower to the magazine forward of loading aperture 124. For this purpose, shaft 130 is transversely mounted through the follower and adapted for selective rotation therein by external knurled manipulating disks 131. As more clearly seen in FIG. 6, the shaft 130 is formed with a central semi-cylindrical cam portion 132 defining a groove in which the base of magazine 120 rides as the follower 127 is moved therealong. Adjacent the forward end of magazine there is provided a transverse recess 133, the arrangement being such that when the follower is retracted against spring 126 to position the shaft in registration with recess 133, the disks 131 may be rotated to bring the semi-cylindrical portion 132 into recess 133 so as to latch the follower 127 in this position. The recess 133 is just forward of the magazine aperture 124 so as to be free to receive BBs until a maximum quantity has been deposited in the magazine. Thereafter further rotation of shaft 130 will release the follower and permit spring 126 to urge element 128 against the BBs to maintain a force thereagainst tending to deliver the BBs individually to the impact chamber as the gun is cocked.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present in vention provides a novel, simple and improved mechani cal gun operated jointly by impact and air pressure resulting from a power spring and piston arrangement. As noted, the device provides for the adjustment both of the spring tension and the plunger location and includes a novel and improved means for retaining the magazine in open position for the reception of a plurality of projectiles. It should be apparent that in the design and construction of the gun simplicity of design provides ready means for assembly and disassembly and for the manufacture of the device with due respect for economy. It will, of course, be understood that in the practice of the invention numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical gun, a cylindrical casing, an elongate spring coaxially positioned within said casing, a tube adjustably disposed within said casing in coaxial abutting relation with one end of said spring, means externally of said casing for variably fixing the position of said tube with respect to said casing, a reciprocative plunger coaxially positioned within said spring and said tube for compressing said spring, a sear plate slidably supported within said casing, a sear carried by said casing for engaging and releasably holding said sear plate in a cocked position, and means adjustably securing said sear plate to said plunger, said last mentioned means including a plug connected to said sear plate and having a threaded shaft threadedly engaging the end of said plunger.

2. In a mechanical gun, a cylindrical casing, an elongate power spring coaxially positioned within said casing, a slotted tube adjustably disposed behind said spring and within said casing in coaxial abutting relation with one end of said spring, a plug carried by the breach end of said casing and threadedly cooperating with the rear end of said tube for adjustably positioning said tube with respect to said casing, a reciprocative plunger coaxially positioned within said spring and tube, a piston secured to said plunger, said piston being arranged for abutting engagement with the other end of said spring and means projecting through the slot in said tube for releasably holding said plunger in a cocked position compressing said spring.

3. In a mechanical gun as set forth in claim 2, including means to adjustably position said plunger with respect to said casing.

4. In a mechanical gun, a cylindrical casing, an elongated power spring coaxially positioned within said casing, a stop fixed within said casing, a tube positioned at a predetermined position within said casing in coaxial abutting relationship with one end of said power spring, a reciprocative plunger urged against said stop by the other end of said spring, said plunger being coaxially positioned within said spring and said tube, sear means projecting through said tube for releasably holding said plunger in a position spaced from said stop means and compressing said spring against said tube, means for moving said sear means to release said plunger whereby said spring urges said plunger against said stop, and adjustment means projecting through the end of said casing and engaging said tube for incrementally varying the predetermined position of said tube with respect to said casing to vary the tension of said spring and thereby vary the force applied by said spring to said plunger when said plunger is released by said sear means.

5. In a mechanical gun, a cylindrical casing, an elongated power spring coaxially positioned within said casing, a stop fixed within said casing, a tube positioned at a predetermined position within said casing in coaxial abutting relationship with one end of said power spring, a reciprocative plunger urged against said stop by the other end of said spring, said plunger being coaxially positioned within said spring and said tube, sear means projecting through said tube for releasably holding said plunger in a position spaced from said stop means and compressing said spring against said tube, means for moving said sear means to release said plunger whereby said spring urges said plunger against said stop, adjustment means projecting through the end of said casing and engaging said tube for incrementally varying the predetermined position of said tube with respect to said casing to vary the tension of said spring and thereby vary the force applied by said spring to said plunger when said plunger is released by said sear means, and means for incrementally varying the effective length of said plunger for varying the distance to be travelled by said plunger from its position of being held by said sear means to its position against said stop.

6. In a mechanical gun, a cylindrical casing, an elongated power spring coaxially positioned Within said casing, a tube disposed within said casing in coaxial abutting rela- 8 tion with one end of said spring, a stop in said casing, a reciprocative plunger urged against said stop by the other end of said spring and coaxially positioned within said spring and tube, and means for variably fixing the position of said tube, with respect to said casing to vary the tension on said spring, said last mentioned means including a member rotatable exteriorly of said casing, said plunger terminating within said tube, and including means passing through said tube for releasably holding said plunger in a cocked position compressing said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 977,549 Roe Dec. 6, 1910 1,114,615 Hough Oct. 20, 1914 1,337,934 Madison Apr. 20, 1920 2,043,677 Salomon June 9, 1936 2,204,372 McHenry June 11, 1940 2,278,438 Gerstenberger Apr. 7, 1942 2,313,721 Borth Mar. 16, 1943 2,548,984 Lennberg Apr. 17, 1951 2,562,462 Jackson July 31, 1951 2,600,883 King June 17, 1952 2,635,599 Wells Apr. 21, 1953 2,710,607 Heilman June 14, 1955 2,737,942 Horowitz et al. Mar. 13, 1956 2,777,436 Renner Jan. 15, 1957 2,820,445 Tratsch Jan. 21, 1958 2,825,324 Haas Mar. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 39,962 Germany July 9, 1887 

1. IN A MECHANICAL GUN, A CYLINDRICAL CASING, AN ELONGATE SPRING COAXIALLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CASING, A TUBE ADJUSTABLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CASING IN COAXIAL ABUTTING RELATION WITH ONE END OF SAID SPRING, MEANS EXTERNALLY OF SAID CASING FOR VARIABLY FIXING THE POSITION OF SAID TUBE WITH RESPECT TO SAID CASING, A RECIPROCATIVE PLUNGER COAXIALLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID SPRING AND SAID TUBE FOR COMPRESSING SAID SPRING, A SEAR PLATE SLIDABLY SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID CASING, A SEAR CARRIED BY SAID CASING FOR ENGAGING AND RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID SEAR PLATE IN A COCKED POSITION, AND MEANS ADJUSTABLY SECURING SAID SEAR PLATE TO SAID PLUNGER, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING A PLUG CONNECTED TO SAID SEAR PLATE AND HAVING A THREADED SHAFT THREADEDLY ENGAGING THE END OF SAID PLUNGER. 